Dorothy Cutler, 1917 – 2013
by Rand Simmons and Kristy L. Coomes
Dorothy R. Cutler was one of the power-houses of the Washington State Library during the 1950s through the 1970s. Dorothy died on March 20, 2013. She was 95.
Dorothy’s career began in the 1940s with her first job at Salem (Oregon) Public Library. She also served in the Special Services Branch, U.S. Army, in Hawaii and Guam, during World War II (1943-1946), and following at the Contra Costa County (California) Library (1946-1951). She earned a B.A. from Willamette University in 1940, a B.A. in Librarianship from the University of Washington in 1941, and an M.S. in Library Science in 1952 from the University of Illinois. While attending the University of Illinois she worked in the University Library (1951-1952) and joined the Washington State Library in 1952.
In Dynamics of Change, former State Librarian Maryan Reynolds consistently refers to two library consultants by only last names, an indication of their prominence in moving the Washington library community forward, Dorothy Cutler and Dorothy Doyle.
Cutler is remembered not only for managing the first Library Services Act funded Columbia River Regional Library Demonstration but also for her leadership with the Governor’s Conference on Libraries (which predated the White House Conference on Libraries) and her leadership role with the Washington State Advisory Council on Libraries.
Kristy Coomes, long-time employee of the Washington State Library noted, “Dorothy was one of the pioneers that made the dream of statewide library service come true.” Enormous growth in library services occurred in Washington’s libraries during Dorothy’s tenure as Chief of Library Development. For example, it was during this time that the State Library created the first digitally produced printed catalog of the newly established Timberland Regional Library and the State Library. This project grew rapidly to include many libraries and eventually resulted in the Washington Library Network. As staff to the Washington State Advisory Council on Libraries she was key to both the creativity and the planning necessary to move forward on many fronts.
When Dorothy Cutler left the Washington State Library she later told the Olympian newspaper (November 18, 1979): “… I said I was quitting, not retiring. Because retiring seems to mean sitting on the shelf, and that’s not for me!”
Today there are thirty library districts, junior taxing districts created by a vote of the people, across the state. Dorothy Cutler was one of the key players in Washington’s history of establishing library districts statewide and improving services that libraries offered to their constituents.
Our thanks to you, Dorothy, for your creativity, your planning abilities, and your ability to bring people together to accomplish commonly held goals.
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March 28th, 2013 at 1:24 pm
Very proud to learn that Dorothy started her career and education in the home town of my library, Salem, OR.
-Jerry Curry
Oregon State Library
April 4th, 2013 at 11:25 am
I had the privilege of meeting Dorothy Cutler when I was a young librarian working for her good friend Lura G. Currier at PNBC. She was smart, funny, strategic, and delightful to be with, and I remember that she was famous for her handwritten thank you notes. The people of Washington owe so much to her contributions to our library development.
April 4th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
Jerry I agree with you that Dorothy has an inspiring legacy. Similarly, my first job was at the Salem Public Library and now I find myself at the Washington State Library digitizing copies of the Morning Olympian. I hope we can continue Dorothy’s goal to improve library services in Washington and Oregon, and like Dorothy, I never find myself “on the shelf”!